Betasso: quicker in one direction?

I cranked out a few quick laps at Betasso this afternoon. So darned fun! It seems like the laps done counter-clockwise (the current direction) don't take as long as the laps done clockwise. I don't have reliable data, though. Has anyone else noticed a difference?

I discovered a great workout in Friel's book. "Find a 20 minute loop that you like, ride it at a moderate pace...and then ride it again and again, each loop faster". So an 80-minute Betasso workout is a 4 looper...each one faster...man is that fun, it's a good way to push yourself. It's the best way I've found to make myself to really really hard intervals.

For me, I start off with a 24 minute lap -- a pretty casual pace. Then a 22, then a 20, then as fast as I can... I don't remember what my PR is..I a year ago I did a 17:30 or something. I've heard the lap record is 15:30 or something like that.

PS - I don't endorse racing around Betasso.

PPS - Shuttling the connector trail is for absolute pussies. How lame.

Last edited by rapwithtom; 11-18-2007 at 04:28 AM.

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For me, I start off with a 24 minute lap -- a pretty casual pace. Then a 22, then a 20, then as fast as I can... I don't remember what my PR is..I a year ago I did a 17:30 or something. I've heard the lap record is 15:30 or something like that.

PS - I don't endorse racing around Betasso.

PPS - Shuttling the connector trail is for absolute pussies. How lame.

Who cares about lap times - the real test of Betasso is cleaning the connector! (Which I havn't done in years, heck, I havn't even ridden there this year!)

I'm not sure what the point of shuttling the connector is. It's pretty darned easy on any xc machine.

Wow 13:30 that is ridiculous. I feel like I'm flying when doing that trail and to be beat me by 5 minutes is amazing. There are sections where I am full out sprinting up in the large chain ring. I know I can go fast but it would only be about a minute, maybe a minute and half.